Page 185 of Volik

“Druids do not shake hands. If one you do not know holds their palm toward you, prepare for an attack.” Volik says casually, then lifts his fist and knocks on the door.

I open my mouth but choke on my follow-up questions as tiny gold sparks jump off the door with each rap.

What the hells?

Something shifts in the air. I can’t describe it, but the cabin no longer feels empty.

I try to step back, but Volik’s grip on my hand holds me in place.

“Vampire.” A gritty, deep voice sounds from the other side of the door. “Why are you here?”

“Druid,” Volik replies. “I need passage.”

“And who is with you?”

“Mea Unica.”

There’s a beat. “Truly?”

“Da. Open the door and see.” The teasing tone he used with the shifter pups is nowhere to be found here.

I squeeze Volik’s hand tightly.

The door swings open.

And the darkness inside the cabin is all-consuming.

Scary.

Because even if I couldn’t see that there are windows on every wall of the cabin, the depth of the blackness inside the doorway is unnatural.

“Hmm… Surprising,” the voice says from within the dark.

“You have not been watching the news” is Volik’s super polite response.

The voice grunts. “What is your destination?”

“Tennessee.” Volik recites the coordinates of May’s rental house.

There’s another grunt. Then silence.

Like total silence.

Like he’s no longer there.

We wait.

And after a full minute goes by, I open my mouth to ask Volik what the fuck is happening, but then the presence is back.

Presumably feeling the same thing, Volik steps to the side, bringing me with him. And then, with no word of warning, a druid steps out of the pitch-black cabin.

He doesn’t look in our direction.

Just walks straight out the door, no pause.

He’s big. Not as tall as Volik, but he’s wide. Burly.

And he’s moving too quickly for me to make out his features as he passes us, but I see long hair tied back in a bun before he lifts the hood on his dark robe, covering his head.